than
Americanconjunction
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(used, as after comparative adjectives and adverbs, to introduce the second member of an unequal comparison).
She's taller than I am.
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(used after some adverbs and adjectives expressing choice or diversity, such as other, otherwise, else, anywhere, or different, to introduce an alternative or denote a difference in kind, place, style, identity, etc.).
I had no choice other than that. You won't find such freedom anywhere else than in this country.
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(used to introduce the rejected choice in expressions of preference).
I'd rather walk than drive there.
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except; other than.
We had no choice than to return home.
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when.
We had barely arrived than we had to leave again.
preposition
conjunction
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used to introduce the second element of a comparison, the first element of which expresses difference
shorter than you
couldn't do otherwise than love him
he swims faster than I run
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used after adverbs such as rather or sooner to introduce a rejected alternative in an expression of preference
rather than be imprisoned, I shall die
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besides; in addition to
Grammar
Whether than is to be followed by the objective or subjective case of a pronoun is much discussed in usage guides. When, as a conjunction, than introduces a subordinate clause, the case of any pronouns following than is determined by their function in that clause: He is younger than I am. I like her better than I like him. When than is followed only by a pronoun or pronouns, with no verb expressed, the usual advice for determining the case is to form a clause mentally after than to see whether the pronoun would be a subject or an object. Thus, the sentences He was more upset than I and She gave him more sympathy than I are to be understood, respectively, as He was more upset than I was and She gave him more sympathy than I gave him. In the second sentence, the use of the objective case after than ( She gave him more sympathy than me ) would produce a different meaning ( She gave him more sympathy than she gave me ). This method of determining the case of pronouns after than is generally employed in formal speech and writing. Than occurs as a preposition in the old and well-established construction than whom : a musician than whom none is more expressive. In informal, especially uneducated, speech and writing, than is usually treated as a preposition and followed by the objective case of the pronoun: He is younger than me. She plays better poker than him, but you play even better than her. See also but 1, different, me.
Usage
What’s the difference between than and then? Than is a very common word used in comparisons, as in She’s a little older than you or This hot sauce is a lot spicier than that one. Then is a very common word that’s used in situations involving what comes next—either in terms of time (as in Just then, the door opened or We saw a movie and then we drove home) or a result (as in If you forget to water the plants, then they will wilt). Grammatically speaking, than is used as a conjunction or preposition, while then is used as an adverb or adjective. Perhaps the most common way the two words are confused is when then is used when it should be than, but doing the reverse is also a common mistake. One way to tell if you’re using the right word is to remember that then is usually used to indicate what comes next, and then and next are both spelled with the letter e. Here’s an example of then and than used correctly in the same sentence. Example: If you want to be an expert, then you’ll need more experience than you have now. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between than and then.
Etymology
Origin of than
before 900; Middle English, Old English than ( ne ) than, then, when, variant (in special senses) of thonne then; cognate with German dann then, denn than, Dutch dan then, than
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The state has more than 23 million registered voters, and ballots go through numerous verification steps, including verifying signatures on mail-in ballots.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
But if the MPs now signalling support for a split hold their nerve, the challenge could prove more consequential than early sceptics assume.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
That plan, which Musk said should be taken with a “grain of salt,” is more ambitious than what SpaceX laid out in its IPO filing.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
Since 2020, estimates of SpaceX's value have risen from $40bn to a price tag of $1.75trn – a more than 40-fold increase - while shares in Tesla have risen tenfold in the same period.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
For the first time in history, doctors will help more patients with surgery than they harm with postsurgical infections.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
